Celebrity Encounter

When you work for an airline you tend to meet a lot of famous people.

I met George Clooney and Matt Damon on the sets of movies they were shooting in the airport in Saint Louis. I had a quick conversation with Paul Sr., Jr., and Mikey at a gate in La Guardia. I have shaken hands with the Secretary of Commerce, Agriculture, and Education while they waited for their secret service detail to arrive on the ramp in D.C.  I have rubbed elbows with billionaires, chatted with movie stars and had investment strategy conversations with business moguls but none of those occasions was as impactful as the time I met Jared. That's right, Jared from the Subway commercials.

The only way I knew it was him is because someone pointed him out to me in a crowd. Just a regular looking guy headed to Madison Wisconsin. I was leaving on the same flight and asked the gate agent (a good friend of mine) if there was a seat available next to him. To be honest, I had nothing to say to the guy except, "Hey, I know you. You're Jared" or something dippy like that. But I asked anyway. Turns out the seat next to him was taken so I took the seat across the aisle one row up. I followed (stalked) him as he boarded and was surprised that no one else knew who he was by now. I was not going to blow his cover so I said nothing.

The plane took off and so did the woman next to him. As I was eves dropping (as one would expect) she talked to him non stop the entire two hour flight about how her son was going to school and was doing so great on his own. She stopped to catch her breath only once to ask him what he did for a living. He told her he was helping to open a Subway in suburban Madison. She smiled said that was nice and continued to describe her son's plans for the future.

We arrived at the gate and after deplaning and while waiting for our over sized carry-ons to be handed back to us, I approached him with my boarding pass to sign. He was more than obliging. I think for a second he was glad to be recognized. I didn't bring any additional attention to him but instead quietly thanked him for his humility on the flight, told him I was proud of him for his accomplishments, and wished him the best. He handed me back my now signed boarding pass, we shook hands, and he thanked me. We went our separate ways and that was that.

Not as entertaining a story as driving Carmen Electra to her next flight or meeting the blind FBI training instructor that teaches close combat skills, but the example of humility from a B-list celebrity was the lesson I needed that day and is one I still carry with me.

What is your greatest celebrity encounter? Comment below to share your story.

Earthquake!

The other day I felt my first earthquake. I have been in big earthquakes before but never felt them. I have either been asleep or driving so I was unaware of them.

It was nothing crazy. Most people in the area didn't even feel it here being so used to them and generally unaware of their surroundings. I am more familiar with other acts of God such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, forest fires and so on. But I honestly did not know what to do the moment it happened.

I am a huge emergency nerd. I have a three day supply of packaged water and nutrition bars in my car. I have all the roadside flares, ropes, flashlights, first aid kits and hand crank powered radios one can possibly have and still be considered sane by most standards. I have a plan for just about anything that can happen and I am always the first guy on the scene of an accident. Fortunately for you I have all that stuff and am just the guy you need around for that sort of thing.

The earthquake happened so suddenly and was over before I knew it, I didn't have time to process it. I now am familiar with the sound that happens before and I have gone over my emergency plan several times since, but I suppose you never can be completely ready. But that won't stop me from making another trip to REI for more gear.

Confession of a Pre-Buser

This is not ok.

Growing up in a larger family, we were expected to clean up after ourselves. With all of us running around and my parents having just enough energy to corral us from one place to another, we needed to help out as much as we could.

After dinner, we would help clear the table, do the dishes (we didn't have a reliable dishwasher half the time I was growing up), put away the leftovers and make sure the table was wiped down. These habits carried over into our routine when we went out to eat as well. Even when I was out on my own as an adult or at a party at someones house, I would do the same things.

When I go out anywhere, I make sure before I leave my table to do the following:

- Stack the plates neatly with the utensils on top
- Glasses are emptied into one and arranged neatly at one end of the table
- Napkins folded in a stack
- Table wiped down
- Tip left in middle of the table held down by one of the glasses so it isn't blown away or stolen

If there is something I am forgetting, please leave a comment. I love making other peoples jobs easier.

What The Eff?

Replacement swear words have always bothered me more than their counter parts. When someone says, "Crap or get off the pot" we all know what was supposed to have been said. How the phrase goes is not changed by the use of the substitute and we all automatically replace it with the real word in our brains anyway. So does it do any effing good?

What will work is if we stop being so lazy with the words we use. Try something new for a change. Start using adjectives as they were meant to be used. Not everything needs to have an adverb describing what kind of jerk someone was to them today. Instead of this dang thing, how about, this thing over here.

I suppose if I were really clever I could suggest new replacement swear words but I think that would still bother me. If you are going to say something, it is ok to say it with flourish, but don't waste your time on made up swear words. We should be able to speak to one another without them in the first place but if you are going to swear you might as well use the authentic words that have gotten us this far.

Fun Parents

Do you want to go to Disneyland?

There are a lot of parents out there today conflicted by the question of whether to be the strict parent or the fun parent.

I saw a couple walk into a store the other day and it was a constant struggle with the one two year old they had with them. The child did not want to be there and the parents seemed unable to find the right thing to persuade the child to cooperate. They tried everything from bribes to empty threats. "Do you want to go to the pool? Do you want to go to McDonalds? Do you want some candy?" And on and on it went.

Now I tend to veer toward the stricter side of parenting but as I was thinking about what I saw, it came to me that all those things probably sounded good to the kid but I am sure this wasn't the first time those things had been offered. I was immediately struck by the child's passive attitude as though these were no longer special things any more. They probably go to McDonalds all the time and the pool is now old hat. In order for those things to be special they have to be sparse.

When I was growing up, going out to eat was a treat so when we went, we were on our best behavior. When we went to the pool, you can bet we didn't dive in the shallow end because if we didn't follow the rules, we wouldn't be coming back anytime soon. We didn't get candy when Mom went shopping. We didn't get what we asked for every time we went out somewhere and when we did, we appreciated it that much more.

Spare the rod, spoil the child...sure. Spare the goodies and be appreciated when you offer them. Fun parents, just relax. They may be upset for a little while but they will be better for it in the end. I promise.

Norm!

Everyone needs to be warmly greeted at least every now and then.

Whether you are a socialite or a shy, secluded hobbit, we all have a strange desire to be recognized by others. It doesn't have to be a grand entrance with a band playing or a loud announcement that you have entered the room. All we really need is that look of recognition.

That look from someone else across the room, a nod of the head or a simple wave of the hand is the gesture we need to remind us we belong. Maybe not even to a place or club. Perhaps it's just nice to know that someone knows us. That we belong to someone else. That we are not alone in whatever it is that we are going through.

Try this at work: Greet one (or all) of your co-workers in the morning in a way that lets them know you recognize them. Stop acknowledging that it is "morning" to each other and really let each other know you're in it together. You will be surprised what a difference it can make for them and when it happens to you, soak it in and know you belong.

People Are Crazy

But I'm normal.

Most people feel this way. But maybe that's why we are all crazy. We are always referring to other people as crazy and stupid and that everybody is a terrible driver except me. Come on. You know you have. But what if, when you say or even think that in your head, you take a closer look inward? What would you find?

There are always those few and far between times where we all do stupid things. It isn't that we are stupid but we all do it sometimes. Sometimes I ask stupid questions like, "where is the peanut butter?" and of course the answer is always "right in front of you". Duh! Sometimes I have had to cut someone off in order to take the right exit in an area I am unfamiliar with or shame on me for not turning on my blinker every time I should.

The next time the guy in front of you in line at Burger King asks the cashier what kind of burgers they have or the lady in front of you drives a little slower than the speed limit because she isn't quite sure what street to turn on, cut them some slack.

We are all crazy sometimes. Let others have their turn.

I want to ride my bicycle

Help! I am turning into a Californian and have given serious consideration to selling my car and riding my bike to work and everywhere.

I looked into it and my car would be easy to sell and in doing so, I would be able to save a ton of money. No insurance, no gas, no regular maintenance costs. The whole plan was set and ready to be put into place. Then I went to go buy a bike.

The first shop visited was a small, local place apparently frequented by the hippie elite with money to spend on elegant bike attire but not haircuts or t-shirts without holes. When asked about the cost of a new bike, and I was unable to accurately describe what make, model and size required, I was quietly mocked. With my ego bruised by the scoffing hobos, I moved on to the next place.

Another local place, but a little more on the pricey side. Walking through the front door, the smell of fresh tire rubber filled my nostrils almost identical to that of a car dealership. I was greeted with a smile, walked around the store and taken on a ride around the block on the "cheap" model. It was amazing. Then I was smacked in the face with the price. Buying a bike is one thing, but then comes the helmet, water bottle, and on and on and on...I could buy a bike or feed a small country for a year.

I will be putting my bike riding on hold for a bit but I look forward to the experience. Don't rush me.

Welcome Back

So another summer is almost gone. One more season to look back on and nod in appreciation of. For myself, it has been a summer of triumphs and failures.

I mentioned I was writing a book. That book is still yet to be finished but looking promising. I am having some councilors look over it and provide some additional insight so the book doesn't send anyone off in a direction of emotional crisis. It is a book on divorce (a topic I have a lot to say about) and so far it is coming together nicely.

I am still working my job. Oh, the lessons I have learned there in the last few months. I have seen some pretty amazing things happen there, I have made some friends, lost some, and dated some. But that is for another article. Work has proven to be a challenge as my knowledge has increased and my pay remains the same. I know I should be happy with the fact that I even have a job and I wish I could say that I am but I am wanting something more.

I have taken on the role of sunday school teacher this summer and am having a blast with that. The kids are awesome, the other teachers are excited and I am learning so much from both groups each week. I have had the distinct pleasure of helping to establish a new program and with that comes the policies manual. I had forgotten how much I love to write those.

I have fallen head over heals for the wine industry here. My new favorite spot is at a local winery where I have become a regular fixture. It is my new quiet place, happy place, thinking place or whatever you want to call it. It feels good to have that small thing taken care of. Since the big move to California, I have not had a really good place to go to think and there I get to, finally. My pallet is quickly developing with the help of a few of the wine makers here in town so if you need wine advice, we can cover that here too.

So to recap: same regular Joe, a little older, a little wiser, a little more willing to do things he was uncomfortable doing in the past. In the coming weeks and maybe months if I don't bore you, I plan to take on many more challenges, personal and professional, and I hope you'll join me. I like the attention.

Welcome Back!